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Nats rely on Fister in Flushing

Sep 13, 2014 - 1:42 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Doug Fister has given up only one earned run over three lifetime starts against the New York Mets. The right-hander aims to continue that success tonight for the Washington Nationals, as they close in on the NL East title.

The Nationals have a magic number of eight to clinch the division going into Saturday's game at Citi Field.

Fister is 3-0 with a 0.44 ERA versus the Mets. Tonight he tries for his second straight win overall after snapping a personal three-game skid. Fister gave up two hits over seven scoreless frames in a 2-1 victory against Atlanta on Monday.

Zack Wheeler, who has come on strong late in the season for the Mets, gets the ball tonight for his 30th start of 2014. The righty is 7-1 over his last 13 starts with the only defeat in that stretch coming Aug. 27 against Atlanta.

Wheeler is 2-4 with a 4.14 ERA in six games versus Washington.

On Friday, New York snapped a 12-game home losing skid to Washington with a 4-3 win. Travis d'Arnaud drove in two runs and Eric Young Jr. scored twice for New York, which has taken down Gonzalez in all three wins against the Nationals this season. The Mets are 3-1 when Gonzalez starts against them and 0-10 in all other games versus the NL East leaders.

"It's really nice. We've played them good, but they're just really tough," Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Gonzalez (8-10), who won in his first start against the Mets this year before dropping three straight, gave up four runs -- three earned -- in 6 2/3 innings. Anthony Rendon went 3-for-5 with a home run and Adam LaRoche reached base in all five plate appearances, singling in a run in the third inning and walking four times.

Dillon Gee (7-7) went 5 1/3 innings for the Mets, yielding three runs on nine hits.

Washington has won six of the last seven meetings and 16 of its past 19 versus the Mets overall.